Dream Shake Crushes Santa Anita Maiden Field; Highly Touted Bezos Seventh

With most all of the pari-mutuel attention focused on Bob Baffert's first-time starter Bezos, trainer Peter Eurton's longshot Dream Shake stole the show on Big Game Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he powered to the lead turning for home en route to an emphatic 4 ¾-length win that could serve as an onramp to the 2021 Derby Trail.  A 3-year-old first time starter by Twirling Candy, Dream Shake got 6 ½ furlongs geared down under Joel Rosario in 1:17.34.

“The things that he did in in his first half miles (works) were quite impressive, but we never (had) really tested him, we've always worked him against mediocrity most of the time and he's done that pretty easily, so we were all optimistic about him, but you really don't know until you put 'em in the gate against the quality (competition) that we had today,” said Eurton.

So, does this win against a highly regarded field of sophomores that also included Mr. Impossible, who was second in his debut versus Saturday's Grade 2 San Vicente winner Concert Tour suggest Dream Shake could be headed to the Derby Trail?

“Against a field of this stature today, I would've been happy with anything fourth and above,” he said.  “Now that he's done this, it's just a question of how he comes back.  I think anything further, seven furlongs to a mile, would be very good.  We'll just try to enjoy this for now, but trust me, we'll probably be looking for a race before the evening has ended.

“He's such a smart horse.  At the beginning he was a little bit green, he wouldn't run inside, so we put blinkers on him.  As soon as he started becoming aware of things, he did everything pretty handily.”

Out of the Street Cry mare Even Song, Dream Shake sold for $75,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s April 2020 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.  Dismissed at 20-1 among a field of nine sophomores, Dream Shake paid $42.00, $13.40 and $6.80.

Owned by Exline-Border Racing, LLC, SAF Racing and Richard Hausman, Dream Shake banked $36,600 for today's win.

Trained by Mike Puype and ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Harbored Memories was attentive to the pace, trading early punches with Bezos and Mr. Impossible.  In his second start and first on dirt, Harbored Memories was off at 13-1 and paid $10.20 and $6.20 while finishing 3 ¼ lengths in front of Mr. Impossible.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli for Simon Callaghan, Mr. Impossible had a half length lead after the first half mile and was clearly third best on the day.  The second choice at 7-2, he paid $3.40 to show.

Bezos, who was heavily favored with Mike Smith at 3-5 and who has generated a good deal of hype in Kentucky Derby future wagering, broke alertly from his number five post and appeared to a have perfect trip but was done at the top of the lane, finishing seventh.

Fractions on the race were 23.40, 46.19 and 1:10.99.

Racing will resume with a four-day week on Friday.  First post time for an eight-race card is at 12:30 p.m.

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Maiden Winners Concert Tour, The Chosen Vron Head Field Of Six For San Vicente

A pair of impressive first time maiden winners, Bob Baffert's Concert Tour and Eric Kruljac's The Chosen Vron, head a field of six sophomores going seven furlongs in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

Under a snug hold early, Concert Tour could not have been any more impressive on Jan. 15, as he drew out to a 3 ½ length win going six furlongs in a manner that suggested he should relish more distance. By Street Sense out of the Tapit mare Purse Strings, this Gary and Mary West homebred colt appeared well within himself as the even money favorite and figures to again be a short price with Joel Rosario back aboard.

A California-bred gelding by Vronsky, The Chosen Vron was very quick from the gate in his 6 ½ furlong debut Dec. 27 and he was much the best among nine statebred rivals as the 2-1 favorite, winning off by 6 ¾ lengths under eastern-based John Velazquez.

Out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly, The Chosen Vron is owned by Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh. Although impressive in his debut, he'll be facing much tougher with Mike Smith up.

Second to Concert Tour at odds of 3-1, Simon Callaghan's Mr. Impossible will hope to turn the tables in what will also be his second start. Although a non-threatening runner-up, he finished eight lengths clear of the third horse in his debut and will retain the services of Umberto Rispoli.

A Kentucky-bred colt by Munnings, out of the Shamardal mare Qaraaba, Mr. Impossible is owned by his breeder, Alice Bamford, and Michael Tabor.

The “other Baffert” in the San Vicente field is Freedom Fighter. Idle since breaking his maiden at first asking on Aug. 1, it's worth noting he was the heavy 1-2 favorite in a field of nine, showed good speed and prevailed in game fashion by a head. Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm, LLC and Robert Masterson, this colt by Violence has been training in solid fashion for his return with Drayden Van Dyke up.

Like The Chosen Vron, Reddam Racing's homebred Found My Ball is a California-bred stepping into open company. A runaway six length maiden going six furlongs in his second start on Jan. 22, this chestnut colt by Square Eddie, out of the Ten Most Wanted mare Silar Rules, will be ridden back by Mario Gutierrez.

An important prep to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3, the San Vicente will be run for the 79th time on Saturday. No points to the Kentucky Derby are offered in the seven-furlong contest, but it has been used as a precursor to Derby preps in the past.

THE GRADE 2 SAN VICENTE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

  1. Freedom Fighter—Drayden Van Dyke–120
  2. The Chosen Vron—Mike Smith—120
  3. Mr. Impossible—Umberto Rispoli—120
  4. Uncle Boogie—Abel Cedillo—120
  5. Found My Ball—Mario Gutierrez—120
  6. Concert Tour—Joel Rosario–120

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. All of Santa Anita's races are available free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager via 1st.com/Bet.

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